The present invention is directed to apparatus, and a method, for increased cooling of computers (e.g., thin servers), particularly for increased cooling of computers mounted on a support such as on a rack or in a cabinet. The present invention is especially directed to apparatus, and a method, for increased cooling of thin servers, mounted on the support (illustratively, on a rack or in a cabinet), especially where a plurality of thin servers as positioned one above another in a secure enclosure (such as a cabinet having a locked security door).
The present trend of providing more processing power, contained in steadily smaller server designs, is creating large hurdles for thermal cooling solutions. The problem of providing sufficient cooling is exacerbated when a plurality of the thin servers are provided in a cabinet and are locked therein through use of, e.g., a security door which may be locked shut to prevent removal of the servers but which may be opened to permit removal of the servers. Illustratively, the cabinet can include, for example, up to 42 thin servers positioned vertically one above the other in the cabinet. However, use of such plurality of thin servers (for example, each having a height of 2U or 1U , where U=1.75 inches) increases the amount of cooling necessary; yet, with the thin servers within an enclosure such as a cabinet, and with outlets for warm air from the rear of the thin server being limited due to design configuration limiting the available area for air vents (openings) in the rear of each thin server, there is a restriction on the ability to provide cooling by air flow.
Illustratively, the front of the 1U server should support at least 15% hole area, for ambient inlet air, whereas the rear of the server should equal or exceed this quantity for warmed outlet air. Typically, the rear holes cannot equal or approximate the percentage of front area holes, due to system constraints. This causes an imbalance of ambient inlet air to warmed outlet air, and this imbalance causes excessive back pressure to build up within the system, thus preventing ability to achieve proper internal component cooling.
Various types of cabinets, in which, for example, thin servers can be mounted, have standard dimensions, including internal width dimensions, as set forth in EIA Standard EIA-310-D, September 1992, of the Electronic Industries Association (American National Standard ANSI/EIA-310-D-1992, approved Aug. 24, 1992). This EIA Standard also defines a cabinet as a free standing and self-supporting enclosure for housing electrical and/or electronic equipment, usually fitted with doors and/or side panels, which may or may not be removable; and defines a rack as an open structure for mounting electrical or electronic equipment. This standard defines panels as flat, rectangular structural members used for the external surface of equipment, describing that panels are designed to be mounted on the mounting flanges of cabinets or racks, and that they are usually used for mounting controls, data presentation, apparatus or equipment. These definitions will be used throughout the present application.
While there are standard dimensions defined for widths of, e.g., cabinets, there are no standard dimensions set for widths of the computers (for example, thin servers) provided in such cabinets.
Conventionally, thin servers are mounted within a cabinet, or on a rack, using extension slides. The extension slides are mounted to the sides of the chassis of the computer, disallowing any opportunity for cooling through the sides of the chassis.